Toy catapulting gun



Dec. 22, 1953 c. G. HALL TOY CATAPULTING GUN Filed Nov. 7, 1950 INVENTOR. C/zarZes GJfa ZZ Patented Dec. 22, 1 953 v UNITED rArENT OFFICE Charles GrllalhLos Angeles, Calif assignor of one-half to LouisV. Dieter, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 7, i950, Serial No. 194,462

This invention relates to toy catapultingguns, which can be used'ior throwing balls, arrows, toy aeroplanes and other objects'forwardly or upwardly with considerable force and to some distance.

Among the salient objects of the invention are: to provide a toy gun of the character referred to which is simple and economical in construction and which is practical and eificient in function; to provide in such a toy gun means whereby either balls or arrows or other objects can be catapulted therefrom without the necessity of many different attachments'or many changes to adapt it for different articlesto be thrown or catapulted forwardly or into the air.

In order to explainmy invention more in detail, I have illustrated one practical embodiment thereon on the'accompanying sheet of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a toy catapulting gun embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view thereof, to showmore-of the construction and arrangement of the operating parts;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view, taken on line 3-3, of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a plan view looking down on the catapulting device and showing the handle for pulling it back to a setting position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing an arrow in said catapulting device, with the ball-receiving cup removed;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing how a parachute with rod can be inserted in said catapulting device, while Fig. 7A shows said parachute in opened condition after having been catapulted into the air; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side view showing how a toy aeroplane can be mounted on said catapulting device to be shot into the air.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my toy catapulting gun as here shown for explanatory purposes, includes a handle portion I0, having a barrel I I, secured thereto and having its top formed as an open slot for the greater portion of its length, as at I I, the outer end thereof being closed and having a coiled spring I2 secured therein, as shown in Fig. 2, to serve as an abutment for the catapulting device, to be described later.

Also included in said barrel is an endless rubber band I3, one end of which is placed around [2 Claims. (01. 124-17) a collar I4, held by a pin I I in the end of said barrel, as seen in Fig. 2, and the other end of which is secured to a through pin I5, through.

a tubularportion I6 of a catapulting device which includes a neck or web portion I I which extends. through the'open slot in the top of the barrel II, as will be seen inthe sectional view in Fig. 4, with a tubular portion I8 on the top edge of said web portion, and on which tubular.

portion I8 is a U-shaped member or portion I9, as will be understood. from the showing in Figs. 2v and 4. The Web portion and the tubular portions I6 and I8 connected thereto, and the U- shaped member I9, are sufficiently elongated as to give bearing in the barrel, as seen in Fig. 2. A T-handle is shown secured to the rearward end of the neck or web IT, said handle being designated I1 and by means of which the catapulting device can be pulled, against the tension of the rubber band I3- The underside of the tubular portion I6, in the barrel H, is providedwith a slot I6 to receive the upturned end or toe 20' on the end of a straight spring member 20secured in the handle It, as seen in the sectional View in Fig. 2. This forms a latch toe to spring into said slot 20' for the purpose of holding the catapulting device rearwardly in its set position, as seen in Fig. 2. The straight spring member is secured at its rear end by screws, as H. A trigger member 22 is secured to the toe end of said latch spring 20, as shown, and this is operated for moving the latch toe 20' out of the slot I6 to release said catapulting device, to be thrust forwardly by the rubber band, until it strikes the spring I2 in the outer end of the barrel, as clearly shown. The rearward end of the tubular portion, in the barrel II, is tapered, as at Ilia to pass over the toe 20'.

It will be understood that the catapulting device can be used for throwing difierent objects forwardly or into the air. In Figs. 1, 2 and 4, a cup 23, having a shank 24, is anchored in the forward end of the U-shaped member I9, as shown, with a removable cotter pin 25 therethrough for holding it in place. This cup can be used for throwing balls or other objects which can be placed therein, as indicated.

In Fig. 6, an arrow 26 is shown in place in the tubular portion I8, which is closed at its rearward end to force said arrow forwardly as said catapulting device is released in the manner before described.

In Fig. '7, a toy parachute 21 is in place, with its stem 21 inserted in said tubular portion I8,

as indicated, ready to be catapulted into the air, to open and descend as indicated in Fig. 7A.

In Fig. 8, I have shown how a toy aeroplane, as 28, can be mounted in the U-shaped member is, by removing the cup 23 from said U-shaped member. A shoulder, as at 23' on said aeroplane bears against the forward end of said member 19, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8.

Thus I have provided a simple, practical and economical'toy catapult'ing gun having a catapulting device operable thereon capable of holding balls, arrows and other objects to be cata- *pulted, and while I have'shown and'descri-bed secured in the outer end of said barrel, a tubular guide portion'in the oppositeend of said barrel and to 'which said'elastic rubber is attachedfor pulling itthrough-said barrel, said tubular guide portion having-a 'webportion extended through' the open slot in the top of said barrel and provided on itsiupper edge with an article-holding member to receive articles to be catapultedtherefrom as said member is forced with said tubular guide portionand said web portion through said barrelnan'd its open slot to the outer end of said barrel, and atrigger-operated latch element for holding said tubular guide portionand said article'-holding member in the rear end of said barrel with saidelastic rubber under tension fordischarge.

of-'said barrel,--and a tension member within said 2. A toy catapulting gun including a handle portion and a single barrel secured thereto and having its top formed as an open slot for the greater portion of its length, the outer end of said barrel having said slot closed, a coiled spring in the outer end of said barrel and anchored at its outer end in the outer end of said barrel, a tubular guide member in said barrel and movable back and forth therein, said *-.member having a web portion extending up through said open slot in the top of said barrel and having connected tlierewith an article-holding member to move -alongthe top of said barrel as said tubular guide member moves within said barrel and said web portionimoves through said open slot in the top barreland secured at one nd to said tubular guide member'andat its other end anchored in theouter end of said barrel, whereby when said tubular guide member is pulled to the rear end of :saidbarrel said-tension-member is put under tension and'a trigger-operated latch member for releasablyholding said tubular guidemember under tensionlnthe rear of said barrel to be released fo catapulting action.

7 CHARLES G. HALL.

in the fileiof thispatent UNITED STATES I-ATEN'I'S Number Name Date 255,141 Caspar Mar. 21, 1882 1,541,579 Kikta June 9, 1925 1,827,023 'Keseleff Oct. 13, 1931 2,089,594 Ballwanz Aug. 10, 1937 2,099,957 Graham Nov. 23, 1937 2,264,399 Oppenheim et al. Dec. 2, 1941 2,569,604 Hall Oct. 2, 1951 "FOREIGN" PATENTS i' c.1111? er Geuntry Date 3,743 GreatBritain 1905 

